The present invention relates to truck bed tailgate barriers and more particularly to a tailgate assembly that can be conveniently configured by a single user to employ one of five different orientations.
Conventional tailgates for pickup trucks are limited to two different orientations, namely a closed position and an open position wherein the tailgate is rotated about 90 degrees around a horizontal axis. Certain prior art tailgates allow rotation around a horizontal axis as well as rotation around a vertical axis. Many pickup truck users, however, would prefer using a tailgate assembly that allows a single user to conveniently configure that tailgate assembly to employ one of five different orientations, namely a closed position, rotation of the tailgate assembly up to about 90 degrees around a horizontal axis, rotation of the tailgate assembly up to around 180 degrees around a first vertical axis disposed on a first side of the pickup truck bed, rotation of the tailgate assembly up to around 180 degrees around a second vertical axis disposed on a second side of the pickup truck bed, and removal of the door portion of the tailgate assembly.
Applicants"" invention includes a tailgate assembly comprising a frame disposed in the open end of a pickup truck bed, where that frame includes a first vertical member and a second vertical member joined by a horizontal member. A first side member is pivotably connected to the first vertical member and a second side member is pivotably connected to the second vertical member. A door assembly is rotatably connected to the first side member and to the second side.